Origin: This town was chartered in 1774 as Percy, the family name of the Duke of Northumberland. At the time of the charter, a member of that family, Thomas Percy, was the king's chaplain. The town was incorporated as Piercy in 1795. In 1832 the name was changed to Stark in honor of General John Stark, hero of Bunker Hill and the Battle of Bennington. New Hampshire owes its motto, Live Free or Die, to General Stark, who was the first to carry the new thirteen-star American flag into battle. He wrote those words in July 1809, in commemoration of the Battle of Bennington. Stark is the location of the Stark Bridge, one of New Hampshire's scenic covered bridges, built in 1862.

Villages and Place Names: Crystal, Percy

Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 48 residents in 1790

Population Trends: Population change for Stark totaled 163 over 54 years, from 327 in 1960 to 490 in 2014. The largest decennial percent change was an increase of 37 percent between 1970 and 1980; an increase of 10 percent occurred between 1980 and 1990. The 2014 Census estimate for Stark was 490 residents, which ranked 216th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density and Land Area, 2014 (US Census Bureau): 8.3 persons per square mile of land area. Stark contains 59.2 square miles of land area and 0.5 square miles of inland water area.

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